Peguero’s plate debut a bumpy one

Mariners give the youngster a start in left field and he struggles during his first day with his name on the lineup card.

Carlos Peguero had a tough time in his Major League debut. / Drew McKenzie, Sportspress Northwest

Nothing more indicative of sudden change and temporary status than your name scribbled on a slab of whiteboard over your locker and next to one marked, Lost and Found.

That was the case for Mariners prospect Carlos Peguero who spent Wednesday afternoon making his first start in the Major Leagues. It did not go well.

Peguero had a chance to bolster the legend that follows him for hitting a batting practice pitch just short of the moon in late March. It landed beyond the batters eye in center field at Safeco Field. Prodigious.

Wednesday was not batting practice. Peguero went 0-for-4 and struck out three times, including in his final at-bat with the possible tying run on second base, during the Mariners’ 3-2 loss to Detroit.

He was capable in limited and unchallenging chances in left, catching a fly ball in the second for his first putout.

If anything, Peguero is here to hit. Hes 6 foot 5 and listed around 250 pounds, only making that mark after the Mariners compelled him to shave weight during and after spring training. The majority of his weight appears to be situated in his shoulders and upper back, hence the menacing swings.

He faced right-handed sinkerballer Rick Porcello three times. Peguero dug in with his left foot, tapped the plate twice with his bat and took his first pitch, a fastball, low, at 1:21 p.m.

Heres each at-bat:

First at-bat vs. Porcello, third inning, leading off1st pitch: 89-MPH fastball Peguero takes low. 1-02nd pitch: 88-MPH fastball that the left-handed Peguero gets a good chunk of and drives to left for a flyout.

Peguero didnt miss it by much and was happy to see consecutive fastballs. I hit it good, he said.

WeeklyRoundup Email

Followus on Twitter

Likeus on Facebook

Circleus on Google+

SportspressNW.com has partnered with Crosscut.com. Watch exclusive videos of Art Thiel and get the latest political and civic news from the Northwest at Crosscut.com.

ArtThiel on KNKX

Kirsten Kendrick's Q. & A. with Thiel can be heard every Friday during Morning Edition at 5:35am and 7:35am and again that same day on All Things Considered at 4:45pm. It also airs Saturday at 6:35am and 9:35am.